Distinguishing features: Black and white demonic stage make-up; skin tight all-in-one outfits; using a guillotine and electric chair as stage props and a snake as part of a costume.

Ambition: To be as big as the Beatles and the Rolling Stones and to "drive a stake through the love generation."

Rock history: Formed a group in the 1960s called the Earwigs - later the Spiders and then the Nazz before becoming the Alice Cooper Band in 1968. The band got their big break after signing to Frank Zappa's label. He went solo in 1974 under the name of Alice Cooper - the band became the Billion Dollar Babies.

Defining moments: School's Out (1972) became the band's biggest selling hit and a cult anthem, spawning a string of best-selling albums. The single Poison (1989) sold more than one million copies.

Film credits: include Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and Wayne's World.

Beliefs/Religion: He believed he was the reincarnation of a 17th century witch called Alice Cooper.

Interests/Hobbies: Golf.

Pretenders to Alice's throne: He influenced the band Kiss, Marilyn Manson, and, some say, Freddy Krueger.

Interesting music fact: Johnny Rotten auditioned for the Sex Pistols with a version of Cooper's I'm Eighteen (1978).